What a simple way to bring language learning and Shakespeare together next week for the 400 year celebration of his life and work! I saw this map a few weeks ago on Twitter and then more recently on this pinterest board. Take a look! All the characters are mapped against the countries where action takes place in the plays or where the characters come from.

How do I suggest that we can use this in language learning in UKS2 and also in KS3?

Explore the map you can see here with the children

Ask the children to locate names of countries on a modern day World map in the target language and feedback the names of characters and the countries they come from

Ask the children to build simple personal information interviews with characters or specific characters from plays in the target language you are studying with the chidren based upon the name and where the characters come from .Our simple games of Quiz Quiz Swap and Quiz Quiz Trade would work well here.

Using a site like Omniglot explore how to greet people in the languages of the countries the children have linked to Shakespeare's characters and plays.Make a list

Now create your own character map with written speech bubbles with greetings in the langvuage spoken in each of the countries and greetings you have located